Mattress cover

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a mattress cover. The mattress cover includes a top panel and a bottom panel, and a covering member. The top panel and the bottom panel are coupled to configure an enclosure having a side opening. Further, the covering member extends from at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel. The covering member is capable of being folded inwardly to releasably close the side opening of the enclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mattress covers, and more particularly, to a mattress cover for a playpen pad, a crib mattress, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mattresses, such as playpen pads, and crib mattresses, are generally used for preparing beds for babies. However, while in use, the mattresses easily get spoiled after being spotted and stained by baby food, dirt and fluids. Accordingly, various mattress covers have been developed to protect the mattresses against spotting and staining by the baby food, dirt and fluids. However, conventional mattress covers are incapable of effectively and completely covering the mattresses from all sides thereof, and therefore, are incapable of effectively protecting the mattresses against spotting and staining. Further, due to ineffective and incomplete covering, the conventional mattress covers are easily pulled off by babies from the mattresses, thereby providing an easy exposure of the mattresses to the baby food, dirt and fluids. Furthermore, a partially pulled-off mattress cover from a mattress may pose a threat to a baby by causing entangling of arms, legs or other body parts of the baby, during movement of the baby in a playpen or a crib employing the mattress.

Additionally, the conventional mattress covers are thin and/or single layered, and allow an easy permeation of the baby food, dirt and fluids therethrough leading to spotting and staining of the enclosed mattresses. Accordingly, such conventional mattress covers are incapable of effectively protecting the mattresses against spotting and staining. Moreover, it may be inconvenient and time-consuming for a caretaker to easily remove spots and stains during washing and cleaning of such spotted and stained mattresses and the mattress covers.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a mattress cover that is capable of covering a mattress for babies in an effective manner. Further, there exists a need for a mattress cover that is capable of firmly attaching to the mattress to avoid pulling-off the mattress by the babies. Furthermore, there exists a need for a mattress cover that prevents an easy permeation of baby food, dirt and fluids therethrough, to the enclosed mattress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the forgoing disadvantages inherent in the prior-art, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a mattress cover that is configured to include all advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent in the prior art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mattress cover that is capable of effectively and completely covering a mattress for a baby and that prevents pulling-off the mattress therefrom, by the baby.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mattress cover that is capable of preventing an easy permeation of baby food, dirt and fluids therethrough, to an enclosed mattress.

To achieve the above objects, in an aspect of the present invention, a mattress cover is provided. The mattress cover includes a top panel and a bottom panel, and a covering member. The top panel and the bottom panel are coupled together to configure an enclosure having a side opening. Further, the covering member extends from at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel. The covering member is capable of being folded inwardly to releasably close the side opening of the enclosure.

This together with the other aspects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterized the present invention, is pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forms a part of the present invention. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages, and the specified object attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a mattress cover, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the mattress cover of FIG. 1 with a mattress enclosed within the mattress cover, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the mattress cover of FIG. 2 along X-X′ axis, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For a thorough understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the following detailed description, including the appended claims, in connection with the above-described drawings. Although the present invention is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The term “top,” “bottom,” “middle,” “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, elevation or importance, but rather are used to distinguish placement of one element over another.

The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

The present invention provides a mattress cover for mattresses, such as playpen pads, crib mattresses, which are generally used for preparing beds for babies. The mattress cover is capable of accommodating and enclosing a mattress therewithin, for covering the mattress from all sides thereof. Such an accommodation protects the mattress against spotting and staining by baby food, fluids and dirt. The mattress cover has multiple layers of different materials to provide comfort to a baby, and to protect the mattress accommodated within the mattress cover against spotting and staining by the baby food, fluids and dirt. Further, the mattress cover may be manufactured in a specific shape, size and design, to have an aesthetic appearance that attracts babies.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, perspective views of a mattress cover 100 are illustrated, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The mattress cover 100 includes a top panel 102 and a bottom panel 104, and a covering member 106. The top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 are coupled together to configure an enclosure 108 having a side opening 110. The top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 may be coupled together by means of stitching, gluing, or such similar techniques. More particularly, three of four peripheral edges of each of the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 are coupled together to configure the enclosure 108. Further, one of the four peripheral edges of the each of the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 is left uncoupled to define the side opening 110 of the enclosure 108. The enclosure 108 circumscribes a hollow space therewithin for removably retaining a mattress 200. Suitable examples of the mattress 200 may include, but are not limited to, playpen pads, crib mattresses, and such similar mattresses. The mattress cover 100 may be manufactured in a desired shape and size to accommodate a corresponding shape and size of the mattress 200. In one embodiment of the present invention, the mattress cover 100 may have a height of about 1½ inches, a width of about 44½ inches and a depth of about 24½ inches.

The mattress 200 may be removably retained in the hollow space of the enclosure 108 through the side opening 110. After removably retaining the mattress 200 in the hollow space through the side opening 110, the side opening 110 may be releasably closed by the covering member 106.

The covering member 106 extends from at least one of the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104. In one embodiment of the present invention, the covering member 106 is extending from the bottom panel 104, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. More specifically, in this embodiment, the covering member 106 is an integrated part of the bottom panel 104. The covering member 106 may be folded inwardly from a fold line 112 to be secured on the top panel 102 for releasably closing the side opening 110 of the enclosure 108. Alternatively, the covering member 106 may extend from the top panel 102 and may be folded inwardly to be secured on the bottom panel 104 for releasably closing the side opening 110 of the enclosure 108. However, in another embodiment, the covering member 106 may be altogether a separate part that may engage with the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 to releasably close the side opening 110 of the enclosure 108.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the covering member 106 may releasably close the side opening 110 using a hook and loop mechanism, such as a Velcro mechanism. However, it will be evident that the side opening 110 may releasably be closed using some other mechanisms known in the art.

The hook and loop mechanism as employed in the present embodiment of the present invention, includes a series of loop strips 114 a disposed on an outer surface 108 a of the enclosure 108. Further, the hook and loop mechanism includes a series of hook strips 114 b disposed on an inner surface 106 a of the covering member 106. Alternatively, the series of loop strips 114 a, and the series of hook strips 114 b may be disposed on the inner surface 106 a of the covering member 106 and on the outer surface 108 a of the enclosure 108, respectively. Upon folding the covering member 106 from the fold line 112, and assembling the series of hook strips 114 b with the series of loop strips 114 a, the covering member 106 releasably closes the side opening 110 (as shown in FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 2, the mattress cover 100 covers and encloses the mattress 200 from all sides thereof, thereby preventing the mattress 200 from a direct exposure to the baby food, fluids and dirt. Further, the hook and loop mechanism prevents the mattress 200 from being pulled-off by babies lying thereon. Furthermore, the hook and loop mechanism may be easily disengaged by caretakers by pulling the covering member 106, outwardly and away from the top panel 102. Such an arrangement of the enclosure 108 with respect to the covering member 106 and the hook and loop mechanism, provides an easy accessibility to the mattress 200 to the caretakers, for removing the mattress 200 from within the mattress cover 100, for washing and cleaning purposes.

The hook and loop mechanism serves as a tool for firmly attaching the mattress cover 100 with the mattress 200.

The top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the mattress cover 100, may include multiple layers of materials, disposed one above the other. More specifically and according to an embodiment of the present invention, the top panel 102 includes three layers of materials, disposed one above the other. However, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art to manufacture the top panel 102 with layers more or less than three in number. Furthermore, the bottom panel 104 may be made of a single layer of a material. However, it will evident to a person skilled in the art that the bottom panel 104 may be manufactured to have a configuration similar to that of the top panel 102, or to have layers more or less than three in number. The layers of the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 are explained in conjunction with FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the mattress cover 100, along X-X′ axis, of FIG. 2. More particularly, FIG. 3 illustrates the multiple layers of materials, of the top panel 102, and the single layer of the material, of the bottom panel 104, according to one embodiment of the present invention. As show in FIG. 3, the top panel 102 is made of three layers, a first layer 102 a, a middle layer 102 b and a second layer 102 c, disposed one above the other. The first layer 102 a is made of an absorbent material. Examples of the absorbent material may include, but are not limited to, a cotton fabric, and a flannel fabric. The middle layer 102 b includes a cotton batting. The second layer 102 c is made of an impermeable material, such as a plastic material. The plastic material acts as a protectant and does not allow permeation of the baby food, fluids and dirt through the mattress cover 100, thereby preventing spotting and staining of the mattress 200 by the baby food, fluids and dirt. The bottom panel 104 is made of an absorbent material similar to the absorbent material of the first layer 102 a. The above described layers of the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 are made of soft and flexible materials. Accordingly, the above described layers of the top panel 102 and the bottom panel 104 provide comfort to babies lying thereon.

Moreover, the mattress cover 100 may include various designs (not shown) configured on the enclosure 108. More specifically, the top panel 102 may include the designs to provide an aesthetic appearance to the mattress cover 100, and to attract babies lying on the mattress 200 covered by the mattress cover 100. Examples of the designs may include, but are not limited to, cartoons, sceneries, and the like.

A mattress cover, such as the mattress cover 100 of the present invention offers the following advantages. The mattress cover serves as a spot and stain-resistant cover that easily slips onto a mattress, to be used for babies. The mattress cover has multiple layers of different materials to protect the mattress accommodated within the mattress cover against spotting and staining form baby food, fluids and dirt. Further, the flexibility of the layered structure of the mattress cover helps in providing comfort to a baby. Furthermore, the mattress cover may be manufactured to have an aesthetic appeal to attract babies. Moreover, the mattress cover of the present invention is easily washable, thereby providing an ease of washing to a baby caretaker.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention 

1. A mattress cover, comprising: a top panel comprising a first layer, a second layer and a middle layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first layer is made of an absorbent material, the second layer is made of an impermeable material and the middle layer is made of a cotton batting; a bottom panel coupled to the top panel to configure an enclosure having a side opening; and a covering member extending from at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel, the covering member capable of being folded inwardly to releaseably close the side opening of the enclosure.
 2. The mattress cover of claim 1, wherein the covering member releaseably closes the side opening of the enclosure by a hook and loop mechanism. 3-6. (canceled)
 7. The mattress cover of claim 1, wherein the bottom panel is made of an absorbent material. 